The mayor of Bristol will meet with people living in tower blocks, as part of a tour with fire and police chiefs, to reassure residents following the devastating fire at Grenfell Tower in London last week.

Marvin Rees said he will also listen to the concerns of people living in tower blocks as fire safety chiefs tour Bristol’s high-rise blocks to check on safety procedures and talk to residents about their concerns.

At least 30 people were killed – and the death toll is expected to rise to almost 100 – when fire ripped through the tower block in Kensington last week.

Butler House, St George, Bristol

Since then, people living in tower blocks in Bristol have expressed their concern that such a fire could happen here.

But council chiefs and fire bosses have sought to reassure people things are different here – all but two of the tower blocks have recently had sprinkler systems installed in bin store rooms, there are smoke detectors in every flat and they insist the cladding attached to the tower blocks in the past few years is not the same as that which is suspected of causing the blaze in London.

“We have all been extremely saddened by the Grenfell fire, and the shock continues to resonate,” he said. “Our thoughts and sympathies are with the friends and families of those who have lost their lives or been affected by this awful tragedy.

“After the Grenfell tragedy I immediately made contact with Avon Fire and Rescue to co-ordinate a joint response and ensure we were all doing as much as we can to ensure the safety of our citizens.

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“We do not believe there is cause for concern about our tower blocks, but we are monitoring events very closely and will take on board any recommendations that come out as a result of the investigation. This would include any necessary changes to our policies and procedures.

“We will continue to monitor the situation and decide our next steps once we know more about the causes of the fire and the initial results of the investigation,” added Mr Rees.

The fire at Grenfell Tower (Image: Victoria Jones/PA)

“I want to reassure our tenants that we are doing all that can possibly be done to protect them, and make sure that Bristol never experiences a similar tragedy.”

The council and Avon Fire & Rescue Service work extremely closely and all council tower blocks have Fire Risk Assessments in place which are checked annually by Bristol City Council.

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There are also a number of other safety measures in place, such as smoke detectors in every home, as well as sprinklers in the majority of bin rooms – and all blocks will have these by the end of the year.

Station manager Steve Quinton, technical fire safety manager at Avon Fire & Rescue Service said: “The Grenfell Tower fire was an absolute tragedy and as a service we will take a particular interest in the investigation to make sure we do everything we can to ensure the safety of residents of high-rise properties in our area.

The 24-storey Grenfell Tower in west London (Image: Jonathan Brady/PA)

“A fire in a tower block which caused such widespread damage and claimed so many lives is unprecedented in this country which is why it continues to cause so much shock.

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“Like any home, flats in tower blocks are at risk of accidental fires, but on countless occasions the design of the buildings and the safety advice provided by landlords and fire and rescue services have kept residents safe,” he added.

“In the wake of the awful events in London it is natural that residents of high rise buildings will question safety advice, particularly the ‘stay put’ policy.

“The visits we’ll be undertaking with Bristol City Council will be an opportunity for local people to discuss their concerns with us and for our staff to explain why the ‘stay put’ guidance remains the safest response to a fire,” he added.